World Building and real world history

[Bedrockgames]

Was working on some setting stuff this morning and it got me thinking about history as it relates to world building. I draw on history a lot. But I generally don't just port things in, rather I combine them and retool them, as well as throw in a ton of anachronisms for good measure. For example, creating a maritime empire, with navigation and gunpowder tech, but based on Ancient Egyptian culture (instead of the typical rennaissance cultures of Europe).

What is your approach to history? Do you like to cleave close to the authentic past or do you mix things up? Are there certain things you just can't tolerate in a setting?

 

[steeldragons]

What's your approach to history? Do you like to cleave close to the authentic past or do you mix things up?

In relation to world building, it's kind of a mixed bag. I mean, there are things like 'nation X and nation Y are in a war or territory Z invades territory A which, let's face it, are as generic/commonplace to history as you can get, having been mankind's since history began. And the causes of lots of history are fairly generic also...So-and-so has designs on the throne...this ethnicity (or "race" in D&D) wants to eliminate/enslave that one...nations are competing for resources...or bound by treaties re-enforced with marriages...these things all have plentiful historic examples.

Vague elements that have occurred in RW history but weren't necessarily related. Taking the Middle Ages witch hunts and the Hun invasions to create Orea's historical "Mage Wars"...where non-divine magic-users were sandwiched between a rising intolerant religious power, the Zealotry, and barbarian hordes raiding from the north...generating a mass migration (of those who studied and used "arcana") and necessitating the establishment of the secluded magic-rich realms of R'Hath.

And then there are elements here and there that are direct pulls. Such as the Hungarian Duchess Bathory being a direct inspiration for my world's Countess of Karlith...or the Tuatha de Danaan (their "historic" veracity notwithstanding) being the model for the lords/ruling council of the elvin nation of ShiStaliiri.

Are there certain things you just can't tolerate in a setting?

Mmmm. Hate to directly disagree with your OP, but top of the list without a second thought...firearms. Gunpowder and guns have no place in my fantasy world.

Technology, in general, puts me off whether it's sci-fi elements, like "lazer rifles" that are found and thought of as "magic wands"...or RW stuff like computers, robots...a magical "horseless carriage" that remarkably resembles a Ferrari"? No thanks. I'm playing a "make-believe elves and wizards battling against the encroachment of demons and dragons in a fantasy world" game. Real world stuff like that just ruins my immersion...or at the very least bugs me.

You may have rightly surmised I do not maintain a vacation home in the Barrier Peaks.

Steampunk, in general, gives me a rash.

Being toooooo historically accurate or concerned with such, also a downer most of the time. I'm all for details and internal consistency, but don't get on my case because one society is mostly "early middle ages" so the guys one the other side of the forest can't have plate mail...they just CAN'T! Don't tell me that. That also bugs me.

Guess I just like my vanilla fantasy. I enjoy vanilla. I find it tasty. Some hot fudge or whipped creme every once in a while is fine. But now you want to put some lemon sorbet and strawberry sauce in the same bowl? ARE YOU NUTS!?

 

[Smoss]

My world history has several things in common with "Earth" history. I reference a lot of well known cultures so that people can "understand" the world. When I mention that the Nuvroci culture is similar to ancient roman culture, people immediately feel comfortable with me talking about their mighty aqueduct systems, their senate representation government, and the number of people named things like Septimus, Decimas, or many other -us names.

Often I will transfer histories around to be different things. For example, the people of Agon hunt down and kill Tarvoni because they think they are all evil mages. they have been taught that all their lives. This sort of witch hunt has happened a lot in our history so I have lots of possibilities to choose from (Spanish inqusition, Nazis hunting jews/gypsies/africans, ACTUAL witch hunts like Salem, etc)

But yes, history has several plots that can be taken. Modify them to fit the world. Tweak the planning based on what our hindsight has taught us. You get some varied and interesting events.
Smoss
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Check out my online fantasy serial at http://blog.thesilvertower.net/
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[Tonguez]

Gunpowder works fine in a fantasy setting provided you give in context. It's true you wont be playing medieval european fantasy anymore but Medieval Asia needs fireworks and the 16th Century is still ancient enough to be Fantastic, heck even Napoleanic era can be exotic fantasy without going steampunk.

My self I haven't used a medieval europe background for a long while, indeed my last few homebrews have included Hawaiki:Mythic Polynesian, The Yuan Empire (inspired by China under Kubilai Khan), The Kingdom of Anziko (Medieval African Sahel) and a Solomon Kane inspired alternate 16/17th Century in which Lyonnes has risen bring Scotland and Ireland under Fae dominion, Cromwells Protectorate has extended across France (Cromwell survived) forcing the Witches to flee beyond the Black Forest or to the New world, the Grand Inquisitor Torquemada became Pope, the Ottoman Empire employs Djinn, the Orient is still mysterious and Africa is still unexplored.

I look to myth and legend more than history but through history in if it's cool enough to fit my story....

 

[Dice4Hire]

When I do world building, I got for events and work form there.

I have a tendency to be too dull in terms of worl building, but below is a bit of a synopsis for a world I am running now on my tabletop. EVerything is extrapolated from one event.

The dawn war had long ended, and the primordial and the gods were more or less at peace. Abominations walked the multiverse, as did some free primordials and the agents of both the gods and the imprisoned primordial. Business as usual. But there was one god who was enraged at the status quo, and he was Torog, the Crippled God, who had plunged into the Underdark to kill a mighty primordial, and had nearly died there, only to be abandoned and forgotten by the other gods.

One day, three centuries before, tapping into vast regions of unformed primordial power, Torog attempted to drag the other gods down to his prison to share his suffering, reaching out from his prison to the Astral Domains and shattering the veil between the world and the Plane Above. The gods of course had many layers of defenses against primordials and each other, but they had forgotten Torog, and thus few had defenses against him.

The blast of raw power blew a hole in the side of the plant the size of a continent, ripping free huge sections of land that were catapulted into the sky. It was an uneven thing. Some parts the size of large countries lifted into the air, the force well beyond a thousand earthquakes. And as the earth arose to the skies, the God’s domains started to fall.

I do not want to quote too much of it, but that is the beginning, everything else goes from that single event.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Something I try and remember in world building a fantasy setting:

• Monsters, gods and demons, etc. can have the same impact of an astriod hitting the planet.
• Geology and Ecology still have a place in fantasy.
• Road Builder and full time warriors are rare.
• Look to the nature of a fantasy race to be utilize them in a setting.

 

[Nellisir]

I like to mix and match, and then throw in a bit of fantasy. I understand the appeal of (almost) directly 'porting RW nations/cultures into fantasyland, but it gets old. I can live without ever seeing another fantasy egypt. Mix things up.

 

[innerdude]

One of the most indispensable tools for GM-ing I have is my Barron's Atlas of World History. It combines historical events with the locations of where they happened. Seriously great for getting inspiration.

 

[Bedrockgames]

One of the most indispensable tools for GM-ing I have is my Barron's Atlas of World History. It combines historical events with the locations of where they happened. Seriously great for getting inspiration.

I agree. I have a few I use an awful lot.